Helpful Score: 4
Title: Specials
Author: Scott Westerfeld
ISBN: 9781416947950/Simon & Schuster
Protagonist: teenager Tally Youngblood
Setting: a Southern California distopia, three hundred years in the future
Series: #3
Rating: A
First Line: The six hoverboards slipped among the trees with the lightning grace of playing cards thrown flat and spinning.
The world as we know it has disappeared. In its place are city states, each with its own rules. Tally Youngblood's city has decided that, at the age of sixteen, everyone becomes a surgically altered "pretty" and spends the next decade or so of their lives wondering what clothes to wear and which nightly parties to attend. At first, Tally bought into the entire pretty culture, but adventures in the previous books of this series have made her look at life differently. In this third installment, she has been surgically altered yet again to become a "special"--people with extra capabilities who work in a branch of the city government that seems quite a bit like military police. People recruited as specials have shown that they think "outside the box"--usually by escaping the city and trying to find those who live out in the "wild". Tally's greatest desire is to have Zane become a special, and to do that, he has to make an escape...with Tally shadowing his every move.
I have really been enjoying this series. In so many ways, Tally is a typical teenager, but there's something inside her that refuses to toe the party line, and her development and growth as a human being is what makes this series so special. Westerfeld has created a world that is very different from ours, but with just enough similarities to make the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. I have the next book in the series, Extras, on my TBR stack, and I'm looking forward to reading it.
If you're interested in reading Specials, be warned: it really should not be read as a standalone. Westerfeld has created an entire world, and for many of the things to make sense, you should start at the beginning with Uglies and then Pretties.
Author: Scott Westerfeld
ISBN: 9781416947950/Simon & Schuster
Protagonist: teenager Tally Youngblood
Setting: a Southern California distopia, three hundred years in the future
Series: #3
Rating: A
First Line: The six hoverboards slipped among the trees with the lightning grace of playing cards thrown flat and spinning.
The world as we know it has disappeared. In its place are city states, each with its own rules. Tally Youngblood's city has decided that, at the age of sixteen, everyone becomes a surgically altered "pretty" and spends the next decade or so of their lives wondering what clothes to wear and which nightly parties to attend. At first, Tally bought into the entire pretty culture, but adventures in the previous books of this series have made her look at life differently. In this third installment, she has been surgically altered yet again to become a "special"--people with extra capabilities who work in a branch of the city government that seems quite a bit like military police. People recruited as specials have shown that they think "outside the box"--usually by escaping the city and trying to find those who live out in the "wild". Tally's greatest desire is to have Zane become a special, and to do that, he has to make an escape...with Tally shadowing his every move.
I have really been enjoying this series. In so many ways, Tally is a typical teenager, but there's something inside her that refuses to toe the party line, and her development and growth as a human being is what makes this series so special. Westerfeld has created a world that is very different from ours, but with just enough similarities to make the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. I have the next book in the series, Extras, on my TBR stack, and I'm looking forward to reading it.
If you're interested in reading Specials, be warned: it really should not be read as a standalone. Westerfeld has created an entire world, and for many of the things to make sense, you should start at the beginning with Uglies and then Pretties.
I really like this series because it is geared toward teenagers (although adults can also enjoy it) but it deals with the struggles of humanity and utopia. very much like the giver on a more adventurous level. I recommend this book series for adults and children alike.
Helpful Score: 1
I'm not sure I'm entirely satisfied by the ending of the book, but it does make sense with the overall story. But it made me think a lot about our world and also about figuring out who you are, which is hard enough for teenagers - can you imagine being a teenager and being changed so much like Tally by forces outside your control?
Helpful Score: 1
Bring out the tissues for this one! I cried during a spot in the book. The ending of the trilogy really makes you think, especially about how one person can change the world for better or worse. Plus this book makes you wonder about our lives in the future, could we become so obsessive over being pretty that we create everyone into what the government determines to be pretty? A good read, especially if you want a book that makes you think.
Helpful Score: 1
The follow-up to "Uglies" and "Pretties," this third book in the
series finds Tally Youngblood transformed into one of the very elite
force that she formerly tried so desperately to escape. Her body has
been technologically enhanced - but she no longer seems to remember
some of the things that were most important to her. But when Tally is
assigned to wipe out her former friends, the anti-technology rebels of
the New Smoke, her new bosses may have pushed her too far. Her former
allegiances war with the new perceptions and her belief in her
superiority as a Special.
Obviously, these books are entertainingly written - I've now read 3 of
them. However, the more of them I read, the more I also get aggravated
by their simplistic treatment of complicated issues. Obviously, giving
people brain damage in the process of pursuing a Utopian society is
not going to be acceptable to many people - but Dr. Cable is portrayed
as horribly evil to the exclusion of her seeming human.
The New Smokies are portrayed as the heroes - but nothing is shown
that will convince the reader that they're not on a path that will
lead to be old problems of overpopulation and environmental
destruction that initially destroyed society.
Westerfeld fails when he twins the positive elements of the "Pretties"
society and technological enhancement with the negative aspects of it.
In this world, it seems, either you can be a "regular" human, or an
unnatural, brainwashed creature (whether "Pretty" or "Special.". The
possibility of utilizing the amazing technological advances (both
aesthetic and practical) that are portrayed, without the mind-numbing
brainwashing techniques employed by Dr. Cable, is not discussed - and
it's such an obvious solution that its lack becomes a failing in these
books.
However, there's now a 4th volume in the series - so I guess I'll have
to read that one next!
series finds Tally Youngblood transformed into one of the very elite
force that she formerly tried so desperately to escape. Her body has
been technologically enhanced - but she no longer seems to remember
some of the things that were most important to her. But when Tally is
assigned to wipe out her former friends, the anti-technology rebels of
the New Smoke, her new bosses may have pushed her too far. Her former
allegiances war with the new perceptions and her belief in her
superiority as a Special.
Obviously, these books are entertainingly written - I've now read 3 of
them. However, the more of them I read, the more I also get aggravated
by their simplistic treatment of complicated issues. Obviously, giving
people brain damage in the process of pursuing a Utopian society is
not going to be acceptable to many people - but Dr. Cable is portrayed
as horribly evil to the exclusion of her seeming human.
The New Smokies are portrayed as the heroes - but nothing is shown
that will convince the reader that they're not on a path that will
lead to be old problems of overpopulation and environmental
destruction that initially destroyed society.
Westerfeld fails when he twins the positive elements of the "Pretties"
society and technological enhancement with the negative aspects of it.
In this world, it seems, either you can be a "regular" human, or an
unnatural, brainwashed creature (whether "Pretty" or "Special.". The
possibility of utilizing the amazing technological advances (both
aesthetic and practical) that are portrayed, without the mind-numbing
brainwashing techniques employed by Dr. Cable, is not discussed - and
it's such an obvious solution that its lack becomes a failing in these
books.
However, there's now a 4th volume in the series - so I guess I'll have
to read that one next!
Helpful Score: 1
I didn't enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed book one and two. It was okay. I got burned on the series after this book and decided not to read the next one.
Helpful Score: 1
So far, the most action packed of the three books. Although the second book did have its fair share of action. I enjoyed the frustrating perspective of mind control as a Special. I can see how this could be the end of the series (kind of in a Matrixy way). So I'm curious to see what gave the author a push to add a fourth book to his trilogy. Overall, two thumbs up. Very well written and full of page turners!
Helpful Score: 1
The first two books (Uglies and Pretties) were very good. This book was lacking in comparisson. I did not like the "Cutters" and the fact that they were cutting themselves. Not fun to read and not a great subject for a Young Adult novel. This book felt like a let down after the huge feats Tally accomplished in the first two books. It didn't really get going till the end. I already have the last book (Extras) and plan to read it, but if I hadn't already purchased it, I wouldn't have bothered. This book feels like the end of the series.
Helpful Score: 1
This was the best of the 3 in the series! Very surprising, a bit sad, some unexpected twists. Well done!
OMG! I was shocked with the outcome of this book. I never saw it coming.
This one took me in different directions then I expected it to. It was way ICY and Nervous-making. I like that Dr. Cable had to face her own reality. Scott Westerfeld is a master story teller!! This is book is definatly worth the read
I was not impressed by this book, as there are just too many things that don't add up and are conveniently missed in order to prolong the story. How this happens when they've got so many gizmos and gadgets is a mystery. I only made myself read it to find out what happens after I made it through the first two books and because I was silly and bought the whole series, which wouldn't have mattered, since the first book showed such promise. And since the second book wasn't half-bad, I would've ended up with this one anyway. It was really disappointing, though, to see the series pull a "Twilight" and go downhill with each consecutive book. If I read the 4th, it'll be because I got it via a credit.
First off, I just have to say that this series has been full of cliches. It's managed to have 1) a controlled society, 2) a jealous best friend, 3) the overly done love triangle where someone has to die so Tally's choice of which boy to pick is made for her, 4) betrayal and backstabbing, and my favorite 5) the disapproving future mother-in-law 6) Dr. Evil... ah hem, I mean Dr. Cable. I was almost anticipating aliens to come out of the woodwork and be behind everything.
This book manages to add to the annoying vocabulary with the new term "Icy" which is used by the Cutters to describe various things. You'll know what I mean if you made it through Bubbly & Bogus.
Since the previous books were named after groups Tally belonged to, this book really should've been named "Cutters" since they're the new, elite force of Specials Tally belongs to and think they're better than the rest of the Specials. Of course, that would've been politically incorrect and parents would've been less incline to buy the book for their children. Especially if they knew that this group was into self-mutilation in order to help them "think better". Granted, it eventually was mentioned as a bad thing, but that took awhile.
I don't understand how Tally manages to be the heroine, as most of what she does or what happens to her is the result of it being someone else's idea or by accident. It's very seldom that anything is originally her idea and not a ride-along for someone else. Plus, she seems pretty good at jinxing things and/or taking the blame. Can we say TSTL? Of course that doesn't matter when someone's usually saving her butt, even though they may have hated her.
It's also amazing at how easily she succumbs to this peer pressure. She readily adapts to whatever situation she is living in and accepts that society's view as "right". When she's in Smoke, she supports the Smokies, when she's in her city, she thinks like them, when she made it to Diego, she suddenly saw their lifestyle as the one for her. I don't recall ever reading a character so wishy-washy.
I however, did like how it ended. (Not just because the thing was over.) I liked the letter of warning that Tally & David gave about the cities needing to be careful and not making the same mistakes with the environment like they did before. It backs up the underlying message in the books of how some parts of progress can be devastating to the world around us.
First off, I just have to say that this series has been full of cliches. It's managed to have 1) a controlled society, 2) a jealous best friend, 3) the overly done love triangle where someone has to die so Tally's choice of which boy to pick is made for her, 4) betrayal and backstabbing, and my favorite 5) the disapproving future mother-in-law 6) Dr. Evil... ah hem, I mean Dr. Cable. I was almost anticipating aliens to come out of the woodwork and be behind everything.
This book manages to add to the annoying vocabulary with the new term "Icy" which is used by the Cutters to describe various things. You'll know what I mean if you made it through Bubbly & Bogus.
Since the previous books were named after groups Tally belonged to, this book really should've been named "Cutters" since they're the new, elite force of Specials Tally belongs to and think they're better than the rest of the Specials. Of course, that would've been politically incorrect and parents would've been less incline to buy the book for their children. Especially if they knew that this group was into self-mutilation in order to help them "think better". Granted, it eventually was mentioned as a bad thing, but that took awhile.
I don't understand how Tally manages to be the heroine, as most of what she does or what happens to her is the result of it being someone else's idea or by accident. It's very seldom that anything is originally her idea and not a ride-along for someone else. Plus, she seems pretty good at jinxing things and/or taking the blame. Can we say TSTL? Of course that doesn't matter when someone's usually saving her butt, even though they may have hated her.
It's also amazing at how easily she succumbs to this peer pressure. She readily adapts to whatever situation she is living in and accepts that society's view as "right". When she's in Smoke, she supports the Smokies, when she's in her city, she thinks like them, when she made it to Diego, she suddenly saw their lifestyle as the one for her. I don't recall ever reading a character so wishy-washy.
I however, did like how it ended. (Not just because the thing was over.) I liked the letter of warning that Tally & David gave about the cities needing to be careful and not making the same mistakes with the environment like they did before. It backs up the underlying message in the books of how some parts of progress can be devastating to the world around us.
This is a very popular book with middle school girls. Mine couldn't wait to get this!
thoroughly enjoyed.
If you enjoyed hunger games, you would like this series!
If you enjoyed hunger games, you would like this series!
The best book I've ever read. Sometimes you love Tally, and sometimes you hate her. The third book in the Uglies trilogy. The books don't make sense unless you read them in order, though.
I liked this series. I really did. But it took me forever to get through this book! I wasn't as in love with the whole thing by this point I guess. Or maybe I just don't like when Tally turns in to someone other than herself.
Part of me started to get annoyed with these books. The main characters value being pretty above everything and think they are better than everyone and now they are cutting themselves to get "icy"?? Not the best example. It all turns out with a good moral story in the end, but I don't know...I just didn't love them. Something was off about the storyline to me. They just didn't sit right with me in the end.
Part of me started to get annoyed with these books. The main characters value being pretty above everything and think they are better than everyone and now they are cutting themselves to get "icy"?? Not the best example. It all turns out with a good moral story in the end, but I don't know...I just didn't love them. Something was off about the storyline to me. They just didn't sit right with me in the end.
Specials is the third and best installment of Scott Westerfeld's young adult dystopian series. Tally is now reconfigured as a Cutter, part of her friend Shay's young elite clique within Special Circumstances. Icy and random are the new 'in' words; pretties are now relegated to 'bubblehead' status. I enjoyed this book more because it felt more like an epic adventure with interesting plot twists and turns rather than a bunch of young pranksters having their adolescent rebellion. I'm more motivated to read the next book, Extras.
The final installment of the "Uglies" trilogy basically wraps up the story, although there is another book in the series that takes place several years later.
In Specials, as the title suggests, Tally and some of her friends have been transformed into "Specials," short for "Special Circumstances." which is like the secret police of their society. Tally is a "Cutter" a team of Special Specials, surgically modified to be able to live in the wild, stay awake for days on end, smell their prey from miles away along with the prey's emotions, etc., etc.
The series as a whole was an interesting, quick read.
In Specials, as the title suggests, Tally and some of her friends have been transformed into "Specials," short for "Special Circumstances." which is like the secret police of their society. Tally is a "Cutter" a team of Special Specials, surgically modified to be able to live in the wild, stay awake for days on end, smell their prey from miles away along with the prey's emotions, etc., etc.
The series as a whole was an interesting, quick read.
I think the author wrapped everything up well in this last enstallment but that does not mean that I have to be happy with the conclusions. I was a little frustrated that Tally had come so far during Pretties just to have her mind tampered with again in this book. It was like having to start over with her and I felt we already did that. I liked Pretties the best and really wanted her to end up with Zane so I was not happy with the way she viewed him as a Special. In the end, she was able to see past it all and find her own purpose and it was a good one so I feel satisfied.
Specials
By
Scott Westerfeld
Tally has changed since she was caught by Special Circumstances. She has become one of them; a Special. Her body and mind have been altered and she is now an elite fighting machine with super-fast reflexes and a hardened body that can withstand almost anythingbut none of this can really make her happy. Tally is surrounded by friends but none of them can take away her memories of her friends from the Smoke and the lessons they taught her. Then her and Shay get a breakthrough and once again whiz off into the wild on their hoverboards searching for the elusive New Smoke where the rebels are said to be hiding. If they can find the New Smoke and bring their boss Dr. Cable to it their lives will be easy at lastor so they think.
Although it was great to be once again back in the futuristic world that I have come to know and love that Westerfeld created, Specials lacked a certain charm that was palpable throughout Uglies and Pretties, this books predecessors.
In Specials Tally is actually the antagonist as opposed to the protagonist and the flip in positions is a giant leap from the end of Pretties. What disturbed me most about Specials is that I stopped liking Tally. She became sort of a mean person and I was less drawn to her character. I dont really know how to describe it other than that she became lessinteresting? I dont know if thats the right word.
In any case, the end of the series for me was less than satisfying to say the least. Specials left me disappointed. I felt Westerfeld definitely took the easy way out by ending the series the way he did, and I will probably protest his next book because of it. If youve already read Uglies and Pretties, you will have to read Specials just to satisfy your curiosity, but dont expect much. Its quite maddening actually.
Three Stars.
By
Scott Westerfeld
Tally has changed since she was caught by Special Circumstances. She has become one of them; a Special. Her body and mind have been altered and she is now an elite fighting machine with super-fast reflexes and a hardened body that can withstand almost anythingbut none of this can really make her happy. Tally is surrounded by friends but none of them can take away her memories of her friends from the Smoke and the lessons they taught her. Then her and Shay get a breakthrough and once again whiz off into the wild on their hoverboards searching for the elusive New Smoke where the rebels are said to be hiding. If they can find the New Smoke and bring their boss Dr. Cable to it their lives will be easy at lastor so they think.
Although it was great to be once again back in the futuristic world that I have come to know and love that Westerfeld created, Specials lacked a certain charm that was palpable throughout Uglies and Pretties, this books predecessors.
In Specials Tally is actually the antagonist as opposed to the protagonist and the flip in positions is a giant leap from the end of Pretties. What disturbed me most about Specials is that I stopped liking Tally. She became sort of a mean person and I was less drawn to her character. I dont really know how to describe it other than that she became lessinteresting? I dont know if thats the right word.
In any case, the end of the series for me was less than satisfying to say the least. Specials left me disappointed. I felt Westerfeld definitely took the easy way out by ending the series the way he did, and I will probably protest his next book because of it. If youve already read Uglies and Pretties, you will have to read Specials just to satisfy your curiosity, but dont expect much. Its quite maddening actually.
Three Stars.
My young teenage daughter loves this series. It is one of the few she's ask to have in her personal library. The Middle School library copies are checked out just as soon as they are returned.
I'm not big on sci-fi but my little sister had the Uglies (the first book in the trilogy) which shed never read, so i took it. And loved it! Its not too sci fi above my head, and the tales of friendship are great. I think its also great to compare our society to the society in the book. Makes one think. I then went out and got the Pretties and the Specials. All three are excellent and thought provoking!
Awesome! It will make serious fan laugh, cry, and maybe even throw the book acros the room. Get ready for an amazing seqquel!
The UGLIES trilogy will appeal to both boys and girls, and this fantastic conclusion really wraps up why Scott Westerfeld is such a brilliant writer. SPECIALS has action, emotion, love, and forgiveness, and the ending gives you hope. They are still out there.
A fabulous ending to a great triology. The book leaves you hanging at every chapter.
Not as good as the other 2, but definitely worth reading.
